Sonoran Desert Tortoise
Gopherus morafkai
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- G. morafkai – Pima Co, AZ – photo by Steve Bledsoe
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- G. morafkai – Pima Co, AZ – photo by Steve Bledsoe
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- G. morafkai – Pima Co, AZ – photo by Steve Bledsoe
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- Map by Steve Bledsoe, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Gopherus morafkai occurs in the Sonoran Desert Region of Arizona.
LEGAL STATUS: Gopherus morafkai is listed by the State of Arizona as a No Open Season species.
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Gopherus morafkai (Murphy, Berry, Edwards, Leviton, Lathrop & Riedle – 2011)
Genus: Gopherus, derived by C. S. Rafinesque in 1816 from the word gopher which at that time was in common use in North America as a generic term to describe burrowing rodents, or small burrowing animals. ref. Connor & Cohen, www.tortoise.org.
Species: morafkai , honors David Joseph Morafka
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962